Its business model is working with law enforcement to shut down pirate sites and services, file civil litigation, and forge new relationships with other content protection groups. It will also strive to reach voluntary anti-piracy agreements with other interested parties across the Internet.

Funny how there is nothing about providing the people/consumers with what they want.

What about providing content to the people at a price they prefer or allowing people to select the content they want to watch at a time they want to watch it?

Funny how an alliance for Creativity is all about suppression and control.

I pay for Netflix and paid for Amazon (which I canned because 90% of their content wasn’t able to be streamed in Australia, so what’s the point). I like “Game Of Thrones” from HBO, but I will not pay for an expensive cable TV subscription anymore to watch HBO shows at a scheduled time the cable TV station decides to run them. Give me the option to pay $10 a month to watch “Game of Thrones” and I’m in, as long as I can cancel it without penalty when the season ends. HBO have something similar in the U.S however nothing in Australia.

I pay for Optus Sports and Telstra Sports via my mobile subscriptions. I pay for BeIN Sports when I need to stream certain sporting events not shown on free to air TV and guess what, I can cancel it at any time, without penalty. What a brilliant and simple concept?

These organisations need to stop operating like it’s the 80’s in 2017. The consumers have created an on demand world where they want access to whatever they want, whenever they want it. But our content providers want to bring it back to when choice was limited and everyone was forced to the same gatekeeper. The internet liberated the people and rich organisations want to censor it. Control it. Regulate it. Suppress it.

All this Alliance wants to do is bring the internet under their control. And then, they would go back to delivering what once worked decades ago in a world that’s moved to on demand.

Want to get eradicate piracy?

Give the people what they want, how they want it and when they want it. Guess that’s too creative for the Alliance to tackle.

How many times do you hear the record label/RIAA people talk about the “music industry” suffering or hurting or getting back on its feet after piracy decimated it?

How many times do you hear the Publishing Rights Organisations talk about the “music industry” suffering or hurting or getting back on its feet after piracy decimated it?

What these “industry people” fail to understand is there is no industry, no economy, no market if there isn’t people who consume music. And people will act with money if they care. People obtaining content without purchasing is nothing new. It’s been happening since the 70’s. People going to the rock and roll show and not owning a legitimate copy of an album is as old as the 50’s.

Think about it. For a person in the 50’s to listen to music, they needed to have electricity coming into the house, a system to play the purchased vinyl and then they had to purchase the vinyl product. So a lot of people couldn’t afford to purchase a vinyl product and a system to play the vinyl and an electricity bill to listen to music at home. But people wanted the experience of the rock and roll show and they went out in droves.

Is it okay for a person to obtain content for free?

There is no right answer. But there are plenty of wrong ones and when it comes to free music, the answers the industry puts forward are around the short-term. How can the current industry executives benefit and get paid handsomely. The answers and solutions are selfish, lazy and have significant holes in them.

I still reckon streaming is priced too high. If it is priced lower, more people will convert to paying. It’s better to have 100 million people paying $5 a month than 50 million people paying $10 a month.

What the “industry” failed to take into account is the shift in people’s attitudes.

Think of the music market in the following three ways;

The base is made up of people entering the music market. This is 20% of the music market.

The middle is the people who have been consuming music for a while. This is 70% of the music market. They either pay for recorded music or they don’t. They either go to the show or they don’t. They either buy merchandise or they don’t.

The top is the super fans who would give extra dollars to get something special. This is 10% of the music market.

Here’s what happens to the three layers when the price goes up happens to the industry.

Since the entry to access music is high, the base of the market will shrink. They base could turn to illegal means of access.

Without a base replenishing the middle, the middle decides it’s better to obtain music for free and go to the show instead. Businesses that relied on the middle purchasing recorded product struggle to attract business and they disappear. The “industry” does nothing to bring in new ways to access music to the market place. Instead the “industry” goes screaming to the politicians to act on their behalf.

The top then becomes super expensive. Bands super deluxe packages can go for $4000 dollars plus. New ways to access music is introduced by companies not associated with the “industry”. But to participate, a person needs to be part of a walled garden. This could be Apple, Spotify or Tidal. They need to hand over credit card details and other personal information.

And the techies are now trying to convert the middle into the top, so there is only a base and a top. No more middle. Sort of like life. The disappearance of the middle class.

In Australia, Channel 10 (one of our free to air channels) is bleeding money and it needs an investor to pay off its debt, otherwise it will cease to operate.

The first problem with channel 10 is that it doesn’t have a large sporting code on its books like Channel 9 and 7.

The second problem is it shows its news at 5pm. Seriously who is home by 5pm to watch. Most people are still at work and don’t get home by 6pm at the earliest. And if some people do finish earlier and they have kids, there is a very high chance they are with their kids at some sport and get home after 6pm. Even singles and couples will be doing something at 5pm.

The third problem is the majority of people don’t really care about its hit show “The Project” but the station believes people do as it’s got no idea how to really track its reach. Data is king these days and Channel 10 has none of its own.

The fourth problem is its own content. You cannot operate a business without your own content as it’s drawcard. Ask Netflix or even HBO.

The last problem and one that all free to air stations have is they all operate under old business models that used to work before.

There are many other problems and according to Village Roadshow boss Graham Burke, a puppet to the MPAA lobby group, piracy is the reason why Channel 10 is going under.

But wait, it gets better.

Burke links the piracy of movies his organization was responsible for back to Channel 10.

So let me get this straight. Movies that leaked on the internet many years before the movies got licensed to Channel 10 is the reason why the station is losing money.

Seriously what the….

Burke believes that an audience exists many years later for movies to be seen on free to air TV with ads.

Umm, no it doesn’t exist.

Did it ever occur to Burke that people have already seen these movies legally or maybe own a copy of the DVD or BluRay?

And Burke is meant to lead the movie business into the new age. By denying the new age exists and trying to get back the old age.

The very first Megadeth song I heard was “Wake Up Dead”. 100% of people would think I heard it via an LP or some other physical format but it was via music television. Yep, Megadeth was a video clip band for me for a few years before I spent my money on their catalogue. And I thought, “what is this rubbish?”

But the next clip that came on was “Peace Sells” and although musically/lyrically it was great, Mustaine’s voice just didn’t resonate. A few years later I saw the film clip to “No More Mr Nice Guy” from the “Shocker” movie and although Desmond Child spoke of all horrors of horrors trying to get Mustaine sober enough to record the Alice Cooper cover, the finished output was nice and polished enough to showcase Mustaine’s voice. It actually sounded pretty good. A few months later, “In My Darkest Hour” came onto the TV and again I was blown away musically and lyrically, but man, Mustaine’s voice and tone was a bit of a miss on it.

All of my doubts got put to “Rust In Peace” in 1990. When “Holy Wars” came out, I was fully converted, musically, lyrically and vocally.

I was in, I was a fan and I was off to the record shop to buy the new album, plus the back catalogue. However, the shop didn’t have “Killing Is My Business”, so I had to make do with “Rust In Peace”, “So Far, So Good, So What” and “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying”. Apart from the brilliant riffs in “Holy Wars”, the main thing I remember from the video clip is drummer Nick Menza (RIP) pounding the skins and the very MTV friendly looking band appearing on the TV screen.

When Dave Mustaine appeared on “S12 Ep5 of That Metal Show” (in 2013) he was asked to rate his top 5 Megadeth albums. Guess which albums made his top 5.

Countdown To Extinction

Rust In Peace

Peace Sells

Killing Is My Business

So Far, So Good, So What

I think you can take “Killing Is My Business” off the list and add “Dystopia” to it. Isn’t it funny how in 2013, Mustaine viewed his 80’s and early 90’s output as his most superior.

And I started thinking about 1986. 31 years ago. Wow. Has it been that long? The 70’s seemed so far away in the 80’s and in 2017, 1986 seems like a few years ago.

Is 86, the year thrash metal became a commercial force of nature. It’s been well documented that “Master Of Puppets”, “Reign In Blood” and “Peace Sells … But Who’s Buying?” all came out in this period.

Let’s put into context the commercial side of 1986 (based on RIAA certification in the U.S).

“Master Of Puppets” came out in February, 1986 and by November, 1986 in had a Gold Certification. Two years later in July 1988, it was certified Platinum for 1 million records sold. It’s 2x Platinum came on the backs of the “Black” album in 1991 and it wasn’t until 1994 that it was certified 3x Platinum. Currently it is 6x Platinum and that happened in June 2003.

“Peace Sells … But Who’s Buying” came out in September 1986. It didn’t set any charts alight and by November, 1988, it received a Gold certification for 500,000 units sold in the U.S.

By November 1992 and on the backs of the “Countdown To Extinction” album, it was certified platinum.

“Reign In Blood” came out in October 1986 and it was certified Gold in November 1992.

So while 1986 did have some excellent thrash releases, thrash didn’t take the world by storm in the way revisionist writers like to frame it today. Like it or not, it happened after the “Black” album came out. It was a slow build and that’s how great music works. Slowly percolating outside the mainstream until it becomes the mainstream. Then every label wanted in.

For me, I didn’t own (which means buy with cash) my first Metallica record until “… And Justice For All” came out in 1988. I then went back and purchased the earlier stuff. For Megadeth, as mentioned above it was 1990 and for Slayer it was well into the early 2000’s that I got “Seasons In the Abyss” and again based on the film clip. And before owning their albums, I had dubbed copies of their albums.

Streaming payments from record labels and publishers to artists have the most focus but man, those live promoters ain’t no angels either.

Twisted Sister is going to the courts to get paid their appearance fee for a festival in the States. Non payments or small payments is a systemic issue in music. Lack of transparency around those payments is another issue. Breaking contracts to suit the organization with the cash is common. Getting DIY bands to pay to play is another.

But then again, promoters also don’t get it easy.

Councils and Venues all around the world have been accused of exorbitant and extortionist fees for events that cripple the live industry. Then you have the unions to deal with. And then you have the ticketing companies putting their fees onto ticket prices and the secondary ticket market is another industry putting more fees and making millions in the process.

And so many of these organizations employees are flying first class or private on the backs of artists.

The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame business model is built on the hard work artists and songwriters put in, yet it’s an exclusive club based on who is cozy with who.

Steve Miller spoke truth in his acceptance speech. Miller took offense to how he and his wife get a ticket to the show and for anyone else (like his band members) it was $10K. Miller had to make his own way there in second class while RRHOF execs fly private. But its songs from artists that give income to all of these organisations.

The RIAA is a lobby group that is funded by the record labels, distributors and publishing companies. Money meant for artists and songwriters gets funneled into this lobby group. The politicians who the RIAA lobbies to write and introduce bills then end up as RIAA employees when they lose office. What a brilliant concept for some?

I have never had an issue with the internet providers or the service of the internet. This even goes back to the days of dial-up. But I have never come across the bureaucratic red tape incompetence and laziness the way I have right now with the NBN rollout in Australia.

It all started back in May.

Westnet (otherwise known as iiNet) came out to install the NBN box in my house on 8 May 2017. The technician took a reading at the NBN box outside the house and said the reading was too high and that remediation works need to happen from NBNco. So a “Network Shortfall” fault was raised and I was told by Westnet that on June 19, 2017, the outstanding works would be completed by NBNCo.

On May 18 2017, Westnet disconnected my phone number and my ADSL internet. When I called on May 19 2017 to find out what is going on, I was told the NBN Porting department within Westnet stuffed up and that they ignored the remediation works notice on my account and still moved me over to NBN. I asked for my ADSL and phone number to be reinstated ASAP. I was told that cannot happen and that I need to wait to June 19 for NBN works to be carried out and then I will have NBN.

I asked to speak to a Westnet Manager. She called me back and told me the same. I was not offered any solutions as to how I can have ongoing internet while the NBN remediation works took place. With no option to have internet I went shopping around.

In the meantime, I purchased a Wireless device from Telstra for $100 that can have 5 devices connect to it and put a 25GB pre paid plan on it for $90. So already I am out-of-pocket for $190.

On 19 May 2017, I called Dodo for an NBN order. On 20 May 2017, I was told my NBN Order has been placed on hold and they will call me back with an update. After no updates or call back within 2 weeks I followed it up. On 2 June 2017, I called to check on my progress and I was told that NBNco have advised Dodo that the planned remediation date for my service is 6 June 2017.

I called Dodo on 6 June (after 5pm) as no NBN technician came out. I was told there is nothing on my account and Dodo is waiting for NBN to update the notes. They will call me back once that happened. No call back has been received.

On 14 June, I have called three times to check with Dodo the status of my NBN order. Every time I put in my phone number linked to my account, I get a message that states, this department is shut and to call back the next business day. But I am calling at 10am. When does their business day start?

All of the above could have been avoided if NBNco carried out works with a duty of care that all other professions need to abide by. NBNco is responsible for me being out-of-pocket $370 so far with the super expensive 4G Telstra pre-paid service. Basically every 10 days I need to recharge another $90. The negligence of NBNco is costing me money and putting my life and the life of my family back in the dark ages.

I finally got a chance to speak to someone from Dodo and cancelled the order with them. Now I am trying to get it going through Optus. Let’s see how that goes.

Culture is all about emulation. Up until 1971, music culture had 11 years of progress by copying what came before and making it better. All you need as proof in the quality of music released around a descending bass line during that period.

In the United States Constitution it states the reasons behind Copyright is “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.” Most countries have similar reasons for copyright. Fast forward a century later and Copyright has become the get rich scheme of the century. It’s being used for everything except what it was originally intended for, “to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts”.

All of those songs from “Hardwired To Self Destruct” will be in the public domain by 2120 (approx. based on the current terms of life of the creator plus an additional 70 years after death). Even Led Zeppelin’s IV will not be in the public domain until 2110 (approx.). I will be long gone by then, however my great great grandchildren will probably be able to benefit from a robust public domain in the same way that Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones benefited from using blues and folk songs in the public domain to build their career. Then again, the record labels, movie studios and Performance Rights Organisations have done a wonderful job in getting Copyright laws retroactively changed to suit their profits, so by 2120 there could be no Public Domain whatsoever.

The crazy thing is the 10 year difference of the estimated public domain date between Metallica and Led Zeppelin however the albums are over 40 years apart in release date. Remember how I’ve always said Copyright was hijacked by business people in the 60’s and 70’s to benefit a corporate entity. Led Zeppelin created their main profitable catalogue of songs between 1968 and 1976. The copyright terms of the era were 28 years, with the option of another 28 years if the Copyright was renewed. After that, the song would fall in the public domain. So for a song written in 1968, its normal public domain date would have been 2024.

Copyright is an outgrowth of the privatization of government censorship in sixteenth-century England. There was no uprising of authors suddenly demanding the right to prevent other people from copying their works; far from viewing copying as theft, authors generally regarded it as flattery. The bulk of creative work has always depended, then and now, on a diversity of funding sources: commissions, teaching jobs, grants or stipends, patronage, etc. The introduction of copyright did not change this situation. What it did was allow a particular business model — mass pressings with centralized distribution — to make a few lucky works available to a wider audience, at considerable profit to the distributors.Question Copyright article

The 60/70’s era had the children of the WW2 survivors turn into teenagers. Add to the mix, all of the nation rebuilding going on and suddenly the modern family had money. And these kids looked for an outlet, which proved to be music. On the backs of Elvis Presley and The Beatles invasion, the sale of recorded music brought in a lot of money to the recording business, so something had to be done to protect those songs bringing in so much gold. The record labels (along with the movie studios who had their own boom in film) took the money meant for the creators and lined the pockets of politicians to write and pass laws.

Hell, the person that co-authored and brought the Copyright Act of 1976 to the U.S Senate was John Little McClellan. The funny thing is he led a Special Committee to Investigate Political Activities, Lobbying and Campaign Contributions many years before he was asked to co-author and submit the 1976 bill. Guess he would have seen everyone on the take, so why shouldn’t he. Let’s look at a few facts. He was 79 years old when approached by the movie studios/record labels. He was the perfect kind of senator to push their case as he was well-respected and in his 35 years as senator he introduced over 1000 bills which 140 were signed into law. A year after the bill was signed into law, he passed away. He didn’t care what damage the bill would cause.

So copyright becomes a government granted monopoly. Its value is based on another government bill that determines royalty rates. There is also the unregulated price labels charge to license music catalogues to streaming services and prior to the internet, the price they charged for recorded music.

A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation where the individual/organization, pays returns to its investors from new capital paid to the scheme by new investors, rather than from profit earned through legitimate investments or business activities. Hell, streaming at the moment is a Ponzi scheme. New investor money is given to old investors.

So how can Copyright be a Ponzi scheme?

A Copyright operator is a company that collects royalties on behalf of artists or songwriters and then distributes those monies to the artists whose works were performed.

A copyright operator has the following investors;

Music consumers, TV networks, cable networks, terrestrial and satellite radio stations, streaming services, background music services, colleges, universities, concert presenters, symphony orchestras and hundreds of thousands of bars, restaurants, hotels, circuses, theme parks and any other place that plays music.

The Copyright operators brings in a bunch of venues and organisations and gets them to pay for blanket licences because the Copyright Operator has so many artists on their books, there is a high chance the music being played is an artist from their roster. The Copyright operator then uses the money from the newer venues to pay the Top 1% of the artists so the enterprise looks legit.

In 99% of the cases, the monies collected via the process mentioned ends up going to the Top 1% of earners. This is changing as artists see the value in holding their own copyrights, however the laws are stacked against them in relation to paying stupid fees to Copyright Operators.

As much as everyone hates Spotify, why do you think Spotify had to set up a $50 million fund to pay independent creators?

They had no information as to who the creators were. So what did the Publishing Rights Organisations and Record Labels do with the royalty monies they received from these works in the past (from recorded sales) because how can they pay royalties if they don’t have the information needed to determine who is entitled to the royalty.

Operators of Copyright schemes usually entice artists with the offer of high returns if they sell their copyrights back to the Copyright operator. Steve Perry got millions recently for selling his copyrights to a publishing company, while a brand new artist will get ZILCHO as their songs are not popular right now. But they could be in the future. Steve Perry would then get short-term returns, which will be inconsistent. And when that dwindles down to pennies, a new technology will get blamed for the pittance in payments back to creators, while the Copyright operators swim in cash.

Seriously, how much of the Spotify license fees go back to all of the artists and songwriters (not just the Top 1% of earners)?

It’s because of Copyright laws, that the Copyright operators have this bargaining power?

The Copyright Operators had it easy while the record labels controlled the distribution gate. But the internet became a game changer and suddenly the copyright business was failing to achieve the returns expected. So the business went screaming to the Government to write laws to protect its business model. This time the government didn’t listen and the copyright business still continues to operate under fraudulent terms. But, the money pool is increasing, as music consumers turn to an access model and streaming is providing billions to the old investors.